596 



GAME BIBBS OF CALIFORNIA 



The sixty-six records at hand (table 19) are distributed through 

 the year as follows : 2 in February, 8 in March, 5 in April, 17 in May, 

 20 in June, 3 in July, 7 in August, 3 in September, and 1 in December. 

 Thirty-two of the sixty-six nestings were observed between May 20 and 

 June 18, which period probably represents the height of the breeding 

 season. It is also probable that relatively more nestings occur in July 

 than is here indicated. The report received from the Fish and Game 

 Commission deputies would seem to show that the breeding season 

 extends from February through October, with the height of the season 



in June and July; thus, in 31 re- 

 ports, 18 record nesting in May, 26 

 in June, 28 in July, and 21 in 

 August, although in nine cases nest- 

 ing is not recorded as continuing 

 through the latter month. In 19 re- 

 ports, five (four from the northwest- 

 ern part of the state) record one 

 brood, eleven record two broods and 

 seven record three broods as obtain- 

 ing either regularly or infrequently. 

 Where stated, ground nests are re- 

 ported commonest in eleven locali- 

 ties, and tree nests commonest in ten, 

 but neither type seems to be alto- 

 gether restricted to any particular 

 part of the state. Probably the avail- 

 ability of sites and presence of enem- 

 ies exercise some control upon the 

 selection of any one kind of nest 

 .site. 



The above data bear upon the 

 question as to when the hunting 

 season can be opened, so as not to 

 jeopardize eggs or squabs of nest- 

 ing pairs of doves. The opening of the season for many past years 

 has been either July 1 or July 15, but even the latter of these dates 

 is quite evidently too early. On the other hand, an occasional nesting 

 as late as September would not seem to us a valid warrant for defer- 

 ring the beginning of the hunting season (if the dove is not to receive 

 total protection) until so late as October 1, especially in view of the 

 departure of many migrant birds a month or more before that time, 

 in the northern part of the state. If a uniform date of opening 

 throughout the state is to be adhered to, we believe that September 1 

 comes nearest to meeting the contingencies of the ease. 



a 



Fig. 92. Nesting season of the 

 Western Mourning Dove in Cali- 

 fornia, according to opinions of 

 deputies of the California Fish 

 and Game Commission. 



